Mandela: A Biography Paperback – 16 Jan. 2014

Meredith has done it again! He has amassed enormous amounts of material and synthetized it in a balanced and most readable way. This belongs into the lengthening line of great southern African classics. Unsurpassed storytelling of a serious, difficult subject that despite the considerable length never gets tedious or boring and never stoops to hagiography.

Excellent

Mandela by Martin Meredith is an excellent biography of arguably the most revered statesman of the last half of the twentieth century. A global icon of the resistance towards the apartheid regime, Mandela was able to a large extent hold together the Rainbow Nation after the transition to democracy.It is a well-written, detailed and informative book which puts Nelson Mandela's life in the wider context of the history of South Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries. While it must be noted that the author is broadly sympathetic towards Mandela (why wouldn't he be?), he is not afraid to be critical of some of his policies, actions or behaviours.Overall, a very good book.

A highly informative portrait of one of the most remarkable men of the past century. This is a meticulously researched yet readable biography which presents the man with his aspirations, imprisonments, rise to power and personal disappointments. A 'warts and all' presentation like this - with Mandela's failings as well as his achievements and virtues - always makes the man appear greater as it's rooted in reality. This is a picture of the turbulent years of the particularly viscious apartheid system and a man who was willing to go down the road of reconciliation and nation building rather than conflict and revenge. I found the style easy - in fact I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended.

This a very good book to know about South Africa as well as noble winner Mr mendela. It gives insight of struggle for Democracy. Well written

This book is very readable and I would recommend it to all those who have South Africa's interests at heart. I was born and educated in Cape Town and lived in South Africa during those terrible apartheid years.The book had refreshed my memory on many issues of which I was not aware. The biography does not only describe Nelson Mandela's experiences and suffering under the minority white Nationalist Party rule but goes back even further.The author goes into incredible detail about Mandela's tragic past,his imprisonment and acquittal during the infamous Treason Trial of 1956 which lasted five years. It portrays Mandela's incredible personality. His dedication in his fight against the suffering of his people under apartheid and the personal sacrifices he made was amazing and well described in the book. He harbored no hate for his former oppressors and those who were responsible for his imprisonment and even on occasions physical abuse.At the same time as appears later in the book, the author also describes vividly Nelson Mandela's weaknesses and how his notorious ex-wife Winnie Mandela had been unfaithful to him and was also an accessory to murder and torture while she had strong influence in the running of the Mandela Football Club which was nothing but a band of vigilantes and thugs who carried out her bidding and desire for power.Despite these various blemishes, Mandela had the strength of character to prevent a blood bath between white and black during the critical transition period towards black majority rule. It is doubtful if any leader would have achieved what Nelson Mandela had achieved in this sphere. Of course one must also praise Frederik de Klerk the president at the time for his contribution despite the differences in approach between these two men and the animosity that Nelson Mandela had against de Klerk.The African National Congress (ANC)which was had a non-racial platform and had an almost impeccable ideology against racism is not the same today as it was 100 years ago. It has now become a corrupt and autocratic party filled with party hacks who have no talent or education to lead South Africa into a just, non racist society. This is made clear. The ANC is in moral decline. The attitudes towards AIDS by Thabo Mbeki, Mandela's successor and his Health Minister Misimang were unscientific, destructive and totally unhelpful in solving the problem. The crime rate in South Africa is one of the highest in the world. Today the ANC is composed of "fat cats" out for the money and oblivious to the severe problems that need to be solved.The present President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, with his criminal baggage and his sexual capers is no credit to South Africa's image either.The book is excellent reading and despite its close to 800 pages, it was never long winded or boring. Non South Africans may find the book a bit too detailed but if one had lived through the apartheid years and had played a minuscule part in its demise will find this book an excellent read.

The book is old and the binding is lose

I purchased this book about six months ago and felt the need to read it after Mandela's passing. For as long as I have known of Mandela I have considered him one of my heroes, however I knew practically nothing about him. I figured I can't go around boasting about how much I admire the man unless I know more. When I first bought the book I flipped through the pages and came across names I had never heard before, towns I've never heard of, and an oppressive system I know nothing about. As an American I had no prior knowledge of Mandela, let alone South Africa, so I was intimidated by the detail and length of this book.Like any biography the author goes over Mandela's childhood and into his teen years, then transitions into the formative adult years where Mandela's disgust of oppressive government evolved. We hear of his life fighting against the government and about his years imprisoned, his role in forming a new government while working with the same government that oppressed the South African people, and his time as president of the new system he formed. We learn not only about Mandela's life but also the system in which he grew up and the politics of the times.One complaint I have is that in the first quarter of the book many names, towns, phrases etc. are discussed which come from various cultures and languages I am unfamiliar with and it would have been helpful to have pronunciation included. I also would have enjoyed more information on his presidential years which I think the author only skimmed through.I believe this is the hardest book I have ever read, which made it the most satisfying as well. It is definitely a tough read and one to take seriously.Long live Madiba!

I agree with other reviewers that Meredith's biography of Mandela is very detailed. The beginning third, especially, is dense unless you are invested in learning about Mandela. However, I have been hoping to learn more about Nelson Mandela and South Africa. For me, I found it easy to get into and was able to read 3-4 chapters per night. Mandela's story is intensely interesting and Meredith tells it well. Mandela's progression from impulsive, amateurish revolutionary to the dignified, deeply wise leader he became in prison is fascinating. Ultimately, Mandela shines through as someone who turned toward redemption, forgiveness, and peace after abuse and repression that would have embittered almost anyone else. It is this quality that makes him such a leader for the ages. In the past year, Meredith has become one of my favorite authors. He is judicious, clear, and while his material is complicated and often dense, to me, it is very engaging. After 4 books, he has yet to disappoint. Five stars but be aware - it is 688 pages and requires some stamina. Mandela: A BiographyMandela: A Biography